Currently, with some conventional systems, setting up a wireless network generally requires significant interaction and technical knowledge on the part of a user setting up the network, especially when the user is configuring security options for the network. For computer savvy users, the tasks associated with setting up a wireless network can be time consuming. However, for inexperienced computer users, the tasks associated with setting up a wireless network can be more challenging and consumes significantly greater time than required by computer savvy users.
In general, 802.11-based networks require a significant amount of user interaction during the configuration process. Typically, with conventional 802.11-based networks, the user needs to configure a non-access point station (STA) to associate with an access point (AP), which may require a number of settings to be selected on the STA, and some knowledge of the default configuration of the AP. The user may then access an HTML-based menu on the new AP in order to set various configuration parameters, many of which are difficult for novice and for intermediate users to understand and set correctly. New APs generally start with a configuration that provides no network security, and which utilize a default network name (SSID) that is selected by the manufacturer such as, for example, “Manufacturer Name”, “Default”, or “wireless”. With the proliferation of 802.11 networks, users often experience confusion and network problems when their new AP uses the same SSID as a neighboring AP.
These problems are compounded as the size of an 802.11 wireless network grows. A user may decide to deploy additional network access devices such as access points to a home or small office network in order to expand the size of the network or to provide better signal coverage in those areas in which signal strength may be poor. In such instances, setup and configuration of the access points and non-mobile STAs present many challenges.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.